2024 January

Check out the January 2024 edition of Quality! Read our cover story on understanding audits and tips on how to prepare, the art and science of digital color, a Vision & Sensors special section, and much more!

Quality 101

Auditing 101: Understanding Audits and Tips to Prepare — Part 1

Audits might seem like just another box to check off, but understanding them can help you approach them effectively.

Genevieve Diesing

December 6, 2023

What exactly is an audit? An audit is essentially a health check for your business processes. Picture a doctor’s visit, but for your company

Management

Results in for the 23rd Annual Quality Spending Survey

The status of spending

Michelle Bangert

December 28, 2023

Would it shock you to learn that spending on artificial intelligence is on the rise? According to respondents of our Annual Quality Spending Survey, 55% of companies expect to increase their spending on AI for 2024.

Software and Analysis B feature, female worker in hardhat

Software & Analysis

Next Steps for Digitalized Quality on the Frontline

Manufacturers looking at replacing paper-based quality processes are being presented with a much broader and more effective set of technologies than ever before.

Leo Sigal

December 28, 2023

The hard card, or traveler or build book, has many names. And while computerizing quality management is no longer news, that stack of papers always seems to be hanging around.

Software & Analysis

Overcoming Quality Challenges Using AI-Powered Connected Microscopy

Integration of the latest artificial intelligence technologies enable even deeper insights.

Kyle Crosby

December 28, 2023

Integration of the latest artificial intelligence (AI) technologies enable even deeper insights. Users achieve more reliable interpretation of complex information in less time while boosting productivity and reproducibility.

Test & Inspection

New Noncontact Technologies Meet the Challenges of the Evolving Automotive Industry

The transition from ice to electric powertrain requires a complete review of the approach to quality and process controls.

Davide Monti

December 28, 2023

The transition from ICE to electric powertrain requires a complete review of the approach to quality and process controls. Some existing checks for ICE find even more extensive applications for the EV sector.

Test & Inspection

An Introduction to Dynamic Micro-indentation Measurements

This article will highlight the broad applicability of the dynamic hardness technique.

Christopher Macey

December 21, 2023

This article provides a brief introduction to a dynamic micro-indention measurement technique which can be useful to characterize materials that are hard to analyze using the well-known Vickers and Knoop measurements described in ASTM E364.

Measurement

The Force of Decision Rules: Applying Specific and Global Risk to Star Wars

Henry Zumbrun

December 26, 2023

Using examples from the first Star Wars movie, Episode IV: A New Hope, to demystify decision rules and make them more understandable for everyone.

Measurement

The Art and Science of Digital Color

Precise color management is essential to consumer perceptions of product value.

Danielle Thome

December 20, 2023

Manufacturers are increasingly turning to digital color management tools to set their products up for success — achieving greater precision, improving formulations, and streamlining production.

Measurement

Multisensor Metrology Systems: Quality’s Swiss Army Knife

Always have the right tool for the job.

Alex Shortt

December 18, 2023

Today’s manufacturers know the importance of having the right tool for the job. Multisensor measurement systems offer a variety of sensor technology tools, allowing for efficient and accurate results in the measurement process.

QM 0124 Software feature. Man on laptop using ChatGPT.

Software & Analysis

Will AI Kill SPC?

Challenges and opportunities for manufacturers applying AI in their business.

Otto de Graaf

December 18, 2023

In the quality management domain, AI undoubtedly has potential in different areas. It would be easy to think that AI could be a threat to less modern tools like statistical process control or render SPC obsolete.

Jim L. Smith Face of Quality column, image of crowd of people forming an arrow

Face of Quality | Jim L. Smith

Everyone Embracing Change is Key to Success

Change Management

Jim L. Smith

January 3, 2024

Change management is a process for ensuring that the people affected by change understand the nature of the change and the reasons for it. Successful change management is an all-hands-on-deck activity.

QM 0124 Fellow Traveler Column. Factory workers on the manufacturing floor having a discussion.

Fellow Traveler | Daniel Zrymiak

Influence Without Authority with Stature

People respond positively to trust and confidence, and this builds a momentum of successful collaboration.

Daniel Zrymiak

December 27, 2023

The purpose of this article is to show different examples of how a quality professional can exert influence on colleagues and team members, without having direct authority over those participants.

QM 0124 From the Editor feature image of closeup of mechanical puzzle.

From the Editor | Darryl Seland

Puzzles and the Art of Solving Them

Darryl Seland

December 26, 2023

Like other puzzles—and any other endeavor—the key to a solution is an understanding of the rules and the tools to lead you to the solution.

QM 0124 ASQ Speaking of Quality Column. Factory worker inspecting part.

Speaking of Quality | Jim Spichiger

The Purpose: Achieve Excellence Through Quality

Improvement is at the very core of what quality professionals strive for each and every day.

Jim Spichiger

December 18, 2023

ASQ’s purpose is to empower individuals and communities of the world to achieve excellence through quality. While it can be summed up in one sentence, how it goes about fulfilling it requires a novel to explain.

John Vandenbemden Column. Staff meeting presentation.

Column | John Vandenbemden

An Effective Management System and Lean Enterprise Require a Cultural Change

Lean and Management Standards

John Vandenbemden

December 18, 2023

A management system such as ISO9001, when implemented and deployed properly, provides the organization with predictable and consistent processes. This is also a critical component for the success of lean enterprise.

01 QM 0124 Lara Threet Column Mississippi State University Industrial Technology program

Column | Lara Threet

Teaching Quality in Higher Education

With the importance of quality in manufacturing, how do we prepare the future workforce for the field?

Lara Threet

December 18, 2023

Quality plays a role in everything from cost to manufacture to sales to the reputation of the company. We all can think of any product and think of a company with excellent quality and a company with poor quality. How do we prepare the future workforce for the field?

QM 0124 ASNT Column Tungsten. Highlight on chemical element Tungsten in periodic table of elements.

Column | Marty Wenzig

Unraveling the Titanium-Tungsten Puzzle with NDT

The Achievements of Radiographic NDT

A.M. (Marty) Wenzig

December 8, 2023

The titanium-tungsten puzzle isn’t just a testament to the value of radiographic NDT, but also a reminder of the NDT’s ever-evolving relevance in shaping the future of manufacturing.

01 VS 0124 Software feature MVTec Bild 1. Automotive factory.

Vision & Sensors | Software

Using machine vision without prior programming skills

Most industrial sectors today rely on a very high degree of automation in their value chains.

Klaus Schrenker

December 8, 2023

Since no programming skills are required for easy-to-use machine vision software, industrial image processing can provide a valuable contribution to digitization for small and medium-sized companies.

VS 0124 Standards feature BitFlow Camera Link Frame Grabber

Vision & Sensors | Standards

Camera Link Proves the More Machine Vision Changes, the More it Stays the Same

With so many interfaces available, why is Camera Link still viable?

Donal Waide

December 6, 2023

Integrators designing less demanding systems are staying the course with a well-established interface with a robust track record of handling large amounts of data easily and securely: Camera Link.

01 VS 0124 Trends Feature turnkey vision

Vision & Sensors | Trends

Making Vision and AI Easier for Users

Vision and AI can play a substantial role in reducing manufacturing costs and risk around manual and semi-automated processes.

Ed Goffin

December 1, 2023

As technology gets easier to use, vision and AI application design is no longer restricted to expert-level developers. A quality manager or IT operations staff can design, train, and deploy their own customizable workflow.

Machine Vision 101 feature. a pair of UR10e and UR16e cobots from Universal Robots perform assembly tasks on an engine that’s in motion –no machine vision required.

Vision & Sensors | Machine Vision 101

A Quick Guide to Choosing Machine Vision for Collaborative Applications

What are the main considerations to keep in mind?

Mike DeGrace

December 27, 2023

What are the main considerations to keep in mind when choosing a machine vision system for a cobot-based application?

V -0124 Lighting feature image of camera lens

Vision & Sensors | Lighting

The Power of SWIR Illumination and Imaging

SWIR illumination and imaging unlock powerful new ways of differentiating materials that look similar under visible light.

Cory Boone Florian De Oliveira Mariann Kiraly

December 11, 2023

SWIR illumination and imaging unlock powerful new ways of differentiating materials and chemicals that look similar under visible light.

On Demand Join this webinar to learn how companies of all sizes are adopting easy-to-use cobots to overcome the labor shortage, handle multi-shift operations, scale production on-the-fly, and solve many other challenges.

This session is crucial for businesses aiming to bridge the skill gap with easy-to-integrate technologies that can be seamlessly adopted into your quality workflows.

Quality Magazine

Cover Story

Auditing 101: Understanding Audits and Tips to Prepare — Part 1

Features

Results in for the 23rd Annual Quality Spending Survey

Next Steps for Digitalized Quality on the Frontline

Overcoming Quality Challenges Using AI-Powered Connected Microscopy

New Noncontact Technologies Meet the Challenges of the Evolving Automotive Industry

An Introduction to Dynamic Micro-indentation Measurements

The Force of Decision Rules: Applying Specific and Global Risk to Star Wars

The Art and Science of Digital Color

Multisensor Metrology Systems: Quality’s Swiss Army Knife

Will AI Kill SPC?

Columns

Everyone Embracing Change is Key to Success

Influence Without Authority with Stature

Puzzles and the Art of Solving Them

The Purpose: Achieve Excellence Through Quality

An Effective Management System and Lean Enterprise Require a Cultural Change

Teaching Quality in Higher Education

Unraveling the Titanium-Tungsten Puzzle with NDT

Vision & Sensors

Using machine vision without prior programming skills

Camera Link Proves the More Machine Vision Changes, the More it Stays the Same

Making Vision and AI Easier for Users

A Quick Guide to Choosing Machine Vision for Collaborative Applications

The Power of SWIR Illumination and Imaging

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